City recommending a return to hanging lights

Updated 6:37 am, Thursday, July 26, 2012

Photo: Robin Jerstad/For The Express-News

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San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the River Walk trees at Marriage Island near the Navarro St. bridge.

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the River Walk trees at Marriage Island near the Navarro Street bridge.

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the River Walk trees at Marriage Island near the Navarro Street bridge.

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the River Walk trees at Marriage Island near the Navarro Street bridge.

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the Riverwalk Christmas lights Wednesday evening to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the Riverwalk tree's at Marriage Island near the Navaro St. bridge. less

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the Riverwalk Christmas lights Wednesday evening to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took ... more

Photo: Robin Jerstad, SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS

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San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on the River Walk trees at Marriage Island near the Navarro Street bridge.

San Antonio officials conducted a lighting test of the River Walk Christmas lights Wednesday to determine whether to use either LED lights or incandescent lights on the annual display. The test took place on

Traditional Scottish music echoes through the air with colorful blinking holiday lights, high in the cypress trees along the River Walk. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

Traditional Scottish music echoes through the air with colorful blinking holiday lights, high in the cypress trees along the River Walk. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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A river taxi breaks up the calm reflection of holiday lights on the waters surface of the San Antonio River, Dec. 11, 2008. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

A river taxi breaks up the calm reflection of holiday lights on the waters surface of the San Antonio River, Dec. 11, 2008. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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Holiday lights glimmer along the River Walk, Dec. 8, 2009. Annually thousands of lights are lit during the duration of the Christmas holiday season to the delight of visitors in the downtown area. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News) less

Holiday lights glimmer along the River Walk, Dec. 8, 2009. Annually thousands of lights are lit during the duration of the Christmas holiday season to the delight of visitors in the downtown area. (File photo / ... more

Justin Hill, 16, of Elgin, takes in the holiday lights on the River Walk, Nov. 27, 2005. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

Justin Hill, 16, of Elgin, takes in the holiday lights on the River Walk, Nov. 27, 2005. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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The San Antonio River is ablaze with the holiday lights. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

The San Antonio River is ablaze with the holiday lights. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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The San Antonio River's holiday lights are seen from the Commerce Street bridge near the intersection of Losoya. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

The San Antonio River's holiday lights are seen from the Commerce Street bridge near the intersection of Losoya. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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The lead float kicks off the Holiday River Walk Parade, Nov. 27, 1998. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

The lead float kicks off the Holiday River Walk Parade, Nov. 27, 1998. (File photo / San Antonio Express-News)

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City recommending a return to hanging lights

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A handful of city officials and downtown leaders gathered along the River Walk on Wednesday night to view what the LED Christmas lights would look like hanging from the trees like the incandescents of old.

City officials will recommend to the City Council next month that the holiday lighting scheme return to hanging LEDs only, not the wrapped minibulbs introduced last season, said Jim Mery, the city's director of downtown operations.

“We are making a recommendation for (the lights) to be draped,” Mery said.

It's a considerable turnaround from the display introduced last year, when LED lights made their debut on the River Walk and drew ample criticism from locals, mostly because the minibulbs were wrapped around tree trunks rather than draped from the branches as in years past.

At the time, the city said the minibulbs didn't have the same effect when hanging, so the decision was made to wrap them.